Broadside Sports

By Brian T. Chan, Sports Editor

Senior starting pitcher Becky Anderson allowed a one-out single in the first inning and was untouchable after that as she recorded back-to-back one-hit performances, leading the George Mason University softball team to a 3-0 win over the Towson Tigers in the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader.

Mason battled closely with the Tigers in the second game, but the Tigers mounted a five-run fifth inning to go on to win 9-1, splitting the doubleheader on Saturday.

The Patriots moved to 11-17 overall and 2-6 in the Colonial Athletic Association, while the Tigers went to 23-11 on the season and 6-2 in the conference.

Sophomore shortstop Rachael Davies launched a two-out solo homerun in the first inning for the Patriots.

That was the team’s only hit in the game.

After allowing the lone Towson hit in the first inning, Anderson completely shut down the opposing offense. In four games against Maryland schools, Anderson allowed just one earned run on six hits in 24 innings while striking out 22 batters.

In the latter game, sophomore starting pitcher Miranda Cranford threw valiantly from the mound, allowing just one run through four innings, but the Tigers were a handful in the fifth inning.

After yielding a leadoff triple, Cranford allowed the go-ahead single to junior shortstop Sammi DiPompo.

Towson totaled 14 hits in the second game, making up for the lackluster offense in the first game.

Junior left fielder Rachel Miller went 3-for-4 with an RBI. Senior second baseman Mindy Bean went 2-for-3 and drove in a game-high two runs.

Tigers starting pitcher Shannon Johnston threw for six innings and allowing one run on six hits while striking out five batters.

Cranford fell to 4-10 after allowing seven hits and three runs in four innings. Cranford helped the Mason offense, going 2-for-2 and driving in the only run in the second game.

The Patriots hit the road on Wednesday as they take on the George Washington Colonials.

The George Mason University baseball team made up for its lack of offense in the 1-0 loss on Friday by putting up nine runs and 14 hits on Saturday afternoon, but the team was unable to hold off the Old Dominion Monarchs in the 10-9 loss.

The Patriots took a 3-0 lead after three innings, but the Monarchs rallied to tie the game at 3 in the fourth inning. Mason put a three-spot in the bottom half of the inning, regaining the lead.

The Patriots’ rally fell short as they scored two runs in the bottom half of the inning. Senior third baseman Mark Hill hit a two-run homerun after senior shortstop Ryan Soares hit a one-out double down the right field line.

Hill, the team leader in on-base percentage with a .521 OBP, went 4-for-5 and cashed in three RBIs for Mason, which included his fourth homerun of the season.